Net zero school stays cool and open during heatwave

As more than 1,000 schools closed in England and Wales during June's heatwave, one primary school celebrated how its sustainable design was keeping classrooms cool.

Hertfordshire County Council said Buntingford First School is the first in England to be net zero carbon in both its construction and operation.

With north-facing classrooms, triple glazing and a solar-powered cooling system, the school was able to remain open as outside temperatures soared recently.

"The children have carried on with their learning in nice cool classroom environments and we haven't thankfully been impacted by this week's sunshine," said head teacher Vikki Johnston.

On Friday an assembly was held to celebrate its net zero certification by the Passivhaus Trust.

Net zero means reducing carbon emissions as far as possible and mitigating the rest with actions such as using renewable energy or planting trees.

The trust says buildings account for 35% of global energy consumption, but Passivhaus standards "provide a high level of occupant comfort using very little energy for heating and cooling".

Johnston added: "The sadness is that not every school will have this luxury."

"We're really lucky that the new building has enabled the children's education to carry on, but unfortunately we're aware of schools that have had to close because of the extreme heat, and that's obviously disruptive to their education," she said.

Johnston hopes more British schools will be "built to this standard" as Buntingford "puts a stamp in the ground for the future".

Architect Mark Ellson said his firm Holmes Miller had "future-proofed this building".

"We've taken weather files from 2070, where arguably things could get even more dramatic, and the school will continue to perform.

"It has been weather tested and climate tested, so hopefully it can last for generations to come," he said.

The school, which has 330 pupils, achieved net zero in both its building materials and energy systems.

Construction company Morgan Sindall used a laminated timber frame, which it said saved 1,160 tonnes of carbon and reduced concrete by using recycled aggregate and pipework.

Doing away with fossil fuels, the school has 184 solar panels and an air source heat pump, as well as a cooling system.

The building is as airtight as possible, to maintain warmth in winter and cool in summer.

Ellson said a second advantage to timber was that wood created "the kind of natural environments that just make the kids calm down".

"They focus better, they feel more attuned to learning," he said.

Pupils on the school's eco committee were proud of their school's environmental credentials.

One female pupil told the BBC: "My old school wasn't very eco-friendly. Now it's nice to be in a school where you're working at the same time as you're looking after the environment, by just showing up to school."

Another male pupil said: "There's installations under here [the floor], so when it's warm they automatically turn it cool inside.

"It's really cool because we never see it do its job, it does it without us knowing."

Johnston said: "I was here in a hard hat and high-vis four years ago whilst the school was being built, and to see it come to fruition has been a real privilege."

Emma Curtis, area director for Morgan Sindall Construction, said the Passivhaus certification marked "an important milestone in how we think about school design and construction".

"It shines a spotlight on what can be achieved when sustainability and pupil needs are placed front and centre right from the start."

Adrian England, the executive member for Sustainability at Hertfordshire County Council, said: "This project shows we can meet the needs of our growing communities while tackling climate change head on, creating high-quality learning environments that support both pupil wellbeing and educational outcomes.

"I'm incredibly proud of the work that has gone into making this vision a reality and of the positive legacy it will leave for future generations."

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